Drabbles
by Cheyenne32
Summary: Castle ficlets. The moment he heard her call his name in such a tone, he knew he was in trouble.
1. Chocolate

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

Author's Note: Okay, I was thinking of starting this entire little series of short drabbles. Please read and review and tell me what you think!! :) Hope you like it!! Review if you want to request something. :)

Character(s): Kate Beckett, Richard Castle

Relationship: a bit of Caskett

Genre: Humor

Rating: K+ (for the usage of a cuss word)

* * *

Rick Castle glanced around the police department for a moment before his eyes wandered to Detective Beckett's desk. She wasn't around and he wasn't going to get caught, or at least that was what he was trying to convince himself. But a part of his brain kept arguing with that, it was Beckett and no matter what she always seemed to find out what he did whether it was good or bad.

Then again, it wouldn't hurt to try; Castle mentally scolded himself. Of course it would, it was Beckett and somehow he always was either getting in trouble and beat up or just being annoying and getting beat up. Castle peered across the station. Kate still hadn't gotten back yet; Castle looked at his watch and he still had about two minutes before she got back from the bathroom.

Castle sighed. He had to at least try…it didn't matter how much it would cost him; it would be worth it. Castle stood up and inched his way across the precinct to her desk. He opened the specific drawer and reached inside to pull out the...

"Castle!" Beckett yelled. Castle cringed and then momentarily frowned. He had just gotten caught, by Beckett of all people; of course, that was just _his _luck.

"Listen, Beckett, I can-" He stood up and faced the detective.

"I…don't…care." She said through her teeth.

"But, I really want-" He whined.

"Give it to me!"

"Beckett-"

"Castle-"

"Kaattttttiiiiiiieeeeee-"

"Don't call me that."

"Pleeeaaaaassseeee, I just want a little-"

"I can care less." She held up a finger. "_Don't._"

"KB-"

"Castle! Give me the damn candy bar!"


	2. Baths, Falls, and Naked Beckett

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

Author's Note: Anyone have any ideas for a good story title?? Okay, I'm so excited to see the finale tonight; just don't want it to be over! Anyone else?

Character(s): Kate Beckett, Richard Castle

Relationship:

Genre: Humor

Rating: K+ (for the usage of a cuss word)

* * *

Kate Beckett walked through the door of her two bedroom apartment feeling drained, to the fullest sense of that word. She threw her bag down on the dark brown sofa that covered one wall of her living room. It had been an miserable day; a young girl had been murdered by her psychotic mother and what was worse was that Castle wasn't there to make her feel better.

The detective slipped out of her shoes before heading directly for her bedroom and passing her bathroom. Kate paused at the doorway of the bathroom as she thought. That was what she needed a nice hot bath.

Kate spent the next few minutes arranging the scents and candles in her bathroom before slipping into the tub. Kate leaned back, worked on clearing her thoughts, and taking deep, calming breaths. The detective had no clue how long she had been in the bath when she heard the doorbell ring-she just knew that the water wasn't as hot as it once was.

At first, the thought had crossed her mind to just ignore it and she did...until the doorbell rang once more and then and again and again. Kate groaned and stood up from the tub, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her tightly.

She walked towards the door and opened it only to see Richard Castle in her doorway. Of freaking course, when she had just begun to feel better.

"Castle. What are you doing here?" Kate asked. She wasn't in the mood for his antics right then.

"Katie, well, no need to be mean, but I heard you had a bad day so I thought you might want to wine..." He held up the bottle that he'd been holding behind his back. "...and some company." He finished; grinning at her.

"Castle, that's really nice of you, but..." Kate didn't continue because at that moment Castle decided to slip around her and walk into her apartment.

"Wow, so this is the home of Katherine Beckett...I never did picture it to be like this." He gestured around.

"What exactly did you picture it to be like?" Kate asked advancing closer to him.

"Well, um...,well...kind of... darker, I guess, and more..." He stepped back a few feet from her. "...slutty."

"Slutty?" Kate asked and walked towards him slowly. Castle thought of how much she reminded him of a lioness approaching her prey right then and unfortunately he was the prey.

He began backing away from her and tripped on something only to trip Kate somehow in the process of falling . The detective shrieked and tried to catch herself, but she failed. She then put her hands up to break her fall, which caused her towel to fall and reveal, well...a lot.

Castle fell to the ground and got a soaking wet Kate Beckett on top of him. A naked Kate Beckett.

"Well, _Rick, _if you really wanted to be in this position all you had to do was ask." She giggled and stood up preceding to retrieve her discarded towel.

Castle layed there for a minute repeating the sentence over and over again in his mind. Did she just steal one of his lines?


	3. Giggle

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

Author's Note: Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews!!

Character(s): Kate Beckett, Richard Castle

Relationship: Caskett-y

Genre: Humor

Rating: K

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

**Giggle**

Rick looked around precinct to make sure no one was there, even though he knew no one was there, before pushing her against her desk, kissing her.

Kissing Kate.

She moaned as the kiss deepened and he felt her start to struggle to unbutton his shirt without breaking the kiss.

He smiled and broke the kiss long enough to catch his breath and sweep the papers off her desk. She then picked her up enough to sit her on her desk.

She watched him with raised eyebrows. "You're picking that up you know."

"It was so much more romantic before you opened you mouth."

"…and my computer is still in the way."

"Way to kill the mood, Katie."

"Who said I killed the mood?" She replied, placing one hand on his and running it down to his stomach and back up again slowly. She smiled as he gulped.

She brought her hand up once more and unfastened the second button on his shirt, the first already opened. Kate kissed his cheek softly and unfastened another button. Continuing until the last button was unbuttoned and she placed another kiss on his lips.

"Now, what were you saying?"

He ignored her question and then proceeded to all but rip off the shirt she was wearing, tossing it to the floor.

He moved his lips to her neck, nibbling on it gently.

"Castle," she moaned.

"Castle," she spoke once again.

"Castle!" she spoke louder, sounding like she was trying to stop laughing.

He opened his eyes to find that he had fallen asleep in the middle of the precinct, surrounded by chattering officers, and an almost hysterical Kate, which made him wonder what she did to him or what he might have said while he was sleeping.

But, the more he kept thinking about it, the more he began to doubt the latter because if she had known what he was dreaming about he probably wouldn't survive through the day.

His eyes flashed to her desk already knowing he would never look at it the same way again.

"Do you always drool like a three year old while sleeping or is this just a…"

"What?" Castle shrieked, stood up so quickly it almost knocked the chair he was sitting in over, and wiped his mouth quickly.

That was when it happened. Kate took one look at his disheveled form, threw her head back, and, to his amazement, giggled.

An actual giggle. Coming from Detective Kate Beckett.

And he never wanted to forget it. He memorized it, playing it over and over in his head. His embarrassment from drooling earlier gone.

"What?!" She asked.

"Huh?"

"Why are you staring?"

"Yeah, I know. It's '_creepy_'" He imitated her.

"Then tell me why!"

"You giggled."

"What?" She gave him a look of disbelief. "No, I didn't!"

"Yes, you did."

"Didn't!"

"Did!"

"Didn't!"

"Did!"

"Well, I'm sorry to interrupt your very important _adult _argument, but you have a case." Captain Montgomery informed them. "Esposito and Ryan are already on their way there. They tried to reach you, but…"

"I was in the restroom."

The Captain nodded. "Fine, now go. Continue you argument later."

Once in the car, they both began to speak at the same time.

"Castle-"

"Kate-"

Caste grinned, "Ladies first."

She sighed and stuck the key in the ignition, not turning it on. Finally after a few minutes, she spoke. "Maybe I did giggle, Castle, but _if_ you ever tell anyone that I promise that you will _not _like the consequences."

He smiled. "Okay."

"Oh, and you still have a little drool on your face." She turned the car on. She glanced down at her phone grinning to herself. Castle may have heard her giggle, but he had no evidence. She, however, did have plenty ammunition against Castle and the pictures to prove it.


	4. Losing

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

Author's Note: Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews!

Character(s): Richard Castle; mentions of Kate Beckett, a certain Robbery detective, and Kyra Blaine

Relationship: Caskett-y

Genre: Angst

Rating: K

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

**Losing**

Castle was losing. He knew it and he hated it, but that didn't change anything.

It was not a card game that he was losing, nor a monopoly game. It wasn't really a game at all. He wasn't exactly sure about that because it did always seem like his flirtations with Kate were a game.

And lately it seemed that _those _flirtations meant so much more to him than they usually did or that were supposed to.

And quite frankly, it scared the hell out of him. He had never actually felt this way before, except with Kyra, and he was just a kid back then so it didn't count.

Castle was falling in love with Katherine Beckett…and he just had to realize it at the _worst _possible time because she seemed to be getting just a little too friendly with a certain Robbery detective.

Which is why Castle was currently losing.

Kate seemed to be falling for the detective and even though he kept trying to do something about it; there was nothing he could actually do that would work especially with her.

With other women, if he had ever felt so strongly about one of them, he would spend money on them, buying them whatever they wanted: jewelry, clothes, cars, houses, animals, anything. But that would never work with Kate.

She was _so _different from all those other women and that was one of the things that attracted him to her the most. She didn't go all crazy when in the spotlight, when she met him, and she had refused when he tried to get her into bed with his sweet talk and money.

That was why, when he caught that certain detective kissing her, his blood pressure rose to the ceiling and he promised himself that, no matter what he would have to do, he would get Kate.

He wasn't losing this battle.

Kate wasn't going to be like Kyra; she wasn't going to be another 'one that got away' because without her in his life; he wasn't sure he would make it.

Damn.

How the hell had he fallen for her even after all the times that he promised himself he wouldn't?


	5. Women

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Castle.

**Character(s):** Kevin Ryan, another man (Castle), Kate Beckett, Javier Esposito, Lanie Parrish

**Relationship:** Lanie/Esposito

**Genre:** Humor

**Rating:** K

* * *

**Women **

"Twenty bucks."

"A hundred."

"Thirty."

"Seventy-five."

"Thirty."

"Chicken."

"Fifty. Final answer."

"Deal."

The two men shook on it as they glanced sideways at the 'couple' in question. They just seemed to be chatting like friends, but according to the never ending rumors they were way more than that. They were becoming big news…almost like when Castle originally started trailing Beckett.

That was more than three years ago though now, and nobody really talked about that anymore. Sure, they gossiped about their 'budding' relationship, but that was it. And it wasn't like anything hadh had changed since then. Well, nothing too much. Sure, the precinct had much more buzz going on now a days with Castle's books and the occasionally articles on the people (or person) that said book was based on, but nothing _too _entirely much.

Sure, Beckett was friendlier and more willing to snap out a lot more remarks at her team than she used too, but that wasn't too much of a change. "Uh, oh, Beckett's coming. Act natural."

The female detective glided over in their direction and the men started to talk about baseball randomly. She got a suspicious look on her face, but said nothing as she quickly joined in on the conversation. It surprised one of the men that she was a baseball fan, but the other didn't even blink at it.

As the conversation slowly came to an end, Beckett started to walk away before saying, "I want in."

The question startles the men, but they're quick to recover. "Want in what?" The younger man asks while feigning innocence.

"Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I'm stupid, Ryan. Are you going to let me in or what?" It shocks them that she doesn't even glance in the couples direction to be sure that she wants to risk the money. It takes them a few seconds to ask the inevitable question.

"Do you know something?" They speak simultaneously and Beckett raises a brow.

Her words imitate perfect incredulity, "You think I would cheat?"

If the men didn't know how much of a good liar she was, they wouldn't be worried, but they did and they were.

"A hundred on today."

"Today?" One of the men asks. They share a look and a snort. Like it would happen that day. Beckett wasn't that stupid. Or so they thought. But they quickly pushed that thought out of their mind when Lanie leaned up to kiss Esposito on his check before accepting a small piece of paper (which they knew to be his home number) from him. "Damn," they each murmur before reaching into their pockets to give their money to a grinning Beckett. As she walks away victoriously, the men share a look.

What was it with women?


	6. Kicked Out

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Castle.

**Character(s):** Kate Beckett, Captain Montgomery, Rick Castle

**Pairing:** Castle/Beckett

**Status: **Complete

**Genre:** Humor

**Rating:** K

**Spoilers:** None.

**Author's Note: **By the way, I don't know if the GMC Acadia has where you can do that or not (if you read, you'll get what I'm talking about), but oh, well, it is fiction.

* * *

**Kicked Out **

Kate grimaced as she felt the familiar tingling in her stomach. _Not again, _she couldn't help but think, and she let out a small, annoyed sigh. She put the report that she had been working on down on her desk. Making the all too familiar path to her destination, a tiny part of her hoped that this wouldn't go on much longer.

While walking back to her desk a few minutes later, she saw the Captain hovering by it. She frowned, already predicting where that was going to go but hoping otherwise. "Hello, Captain, what are you doing out here in our neck of the wood?" Her voice was sickly sweet as she forced the words out of her mouth. _Don't say it, don't say it, don't say it, don't say it, _she internally chanted.

"Beckett," he began seriously. "You and I both know that I didn't come out here to gossip with you socially."

"Okay," Kate began innocently. "Why are you here then?"

"To order you to leave."

Kate raised her eyebrows. "_Order _me?"

"Go home."

Kate frowned. "No."

"Beckett, you are-"

"Sir, I'm not doing _anything _wrong! I'm just working on paperwork, which is what I'm _supposed _to be doing."

"Your nine months pregnant, Beckett!" The Captain exclaimed, staring at her bulging stomach. "Three weeks overdue, I might add. Go home. I'm sure your husband would like that."

"Captain, when it's time, I'll take my leave for however long _I _need to." Which she said only to prepare him that there was _no _way that she was going to stay out of work for those allotted six weeks, no matter how much her husband would like her to..

"Beckett, this wasn't a suggestion. Go home and take your leave early or pack up your things and not come back." He told her, only because he knew that she would never leave this job, and it worked.

Kate frowned before sighing. "He talked you into this, didn't he?"

"That doesn't matter," the Captain murmured to her.

"I'm going to kill him," she spoke to herself as she began to pack up her things.

-oOo-

Once outside of the precinct doors, Kate withdrew her phone from her pocket. Dialing the familiar number, she walked to her car. She was opening the door to her shiny, new Acadia when a familiar, "Castle," sounded on the other end of the phone.

She frowned at the cheerfullness in his voice. "You're sleeping on the couch tonight."

"Well, hello to you too, wife."

"Don't sound so happy," she snapped. She tossed her stuff in the back seat before getting in herself.

"I predict that the Captain finally kicked you out."

"Don't act so innocent. I know you talked to him."

Kate frowned as she turned on her vehicle. As the vehicle came to life, the phone call cut of as it automatically connected to her car. Kate rolled her eyes and tossed her phone in the passenger's seat. "How much did you win?"

"Win?" Castle imitated perfect innocence, but she could see through it. Or hear through it.

"I know there was a bet going around. I can't walk that well, but I'm not stupid." Kate turned out into the busy streets of New York.

"A bet on what?" He kept up his act.

"Play dumb all you want. I get half." She pressed the end button on her car, successfully hanging up on him. She touched her belly softly. "So, Thumper," She cooed to her unborn child. Even though she and Rick had finally decided on a name for their little girl a week ago, she continued to call her baby by its first nickname. Not that she would ever tell Rick that. He was the one who came up with the nickname. If he ever knew that she liked it, she would never live it down. "What do you think we should get with the money Daddy's goign to give to us?"

Kate smiled. "Daddy's probably going to get you a toy, but shh... don't let him know that I told you." Kate pressed the break to slow her car down to a stop as the light in front of her turned to red. "I'm thinking about getting that cute little shirt that we saw in that boutique."

She was referring to a pink shirt that had 'Daddy's the boss...right Mommy?' written across it neatly. Kate laughed. The guys at the precinct would get a kick out of that. They would pick on her poor husband for months. Oh, well, he deserved that for getting her kicked out the precinct.


	7. Sometimes

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Castle.  
**Character(s):** Kate Beckett, mentions of Alexander, Alexis Castle, and Richard Castle  
**Pairing:** Castle/Beckett  
**Status: **Complete  
**Genre:** Angst  
**Rating:** K  
**Spoilers:** "He's Dead, She's Dead"  
**Author's Note: **I needed to update _something _for you readers and I don't have too much time, so I chose this. Anyway, I'm thinking of turning this into a full blown story...Thoughts? :)

* * *

**Sometimes**

_"Alexander will save your life." _

When first told that, Kate Beckett had assumed that the woman was completely and totally crazy. The woman was the daughter of a "psychic" so she had most likely grown up hearing her mother tell people crazy things like that, so she thought it was completely normal for her to tell her that. Kate, on the other hand, had been having doubts after whether or not everything in that case was completely coincidental. Not that she would _ever _share that tidbit of information with Castle. But still, she didn't believe what the woman had said.

Then, five years and six months later, she had had a little boy. He was named Alexander in honor of his father's original middle name and sister's name, and he had saved her life. Not in the traditional sense though. He didn't physically save her life, but emotionally, he was almost everything to her. Almost, because both of her kids were everything. It didn't matter that one wasn't her biological child. She still considered her a daughter and loved her like one. Alexander and Alexis were the last part of _him_ that she had, and God knows that they saved her. Not from an enemy, not from death, or danger, or anything like that, but from herself.

And sometimes that was just as scary as any of those others.


	8. Tattoo

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Castle.  
**Character(s):** Kate Beckett, mentions of Lanie Parrish and Richard Castle, along with Beckett's dad and mom  
**Pairing:** a teeny bit of Castle/Beckett  
**Status: **Complete  
**Genre:**  
**Rating:** K  
**Author's Note: **Derived from Beckett's statement that "doesn't everyone" have a tattoo. Two updates of Castle stories in one day. Ya'll ought to be proud. I am. :)

* * *

**Tattoo **

She wasn't intoxicated when she had gotten it, in fact, she was quite sober. It wasn't because of a bet either or the notorious peer pressure. She had gotten it in her "wild child" phase that almost everyone went through during their teen years. When her parents had found out, her father had been furious with her, but her mother had just sat back with a blank expression and then given her one of those statements that she wouldn't ever forget. "It's your life, Katie; just be careful." Her mother always had found a way to get to her. To get inside her head. To make her _think_.

That was one of the things that she missed the most about her.

It was a tattoo of a butterfly on the lower part of her back. Or her first one was. In college, after her mother's death, when she found out that those were beginning to be referred to as "tramp stamps", she had gotten it removed, but only to be replaced with a heart on her hip. At the time, she had almost put her boyfriend's initials in it, but she was thankful that she hadn't because, a week later, she had dumped him when she found out that he had been cheating on her with her roommate. After that, she had grown distant; the only reason that it hadn't happened sooner was because of him and her dad. They had dated all through high school. But after it ended, she couldn't find the strength to try to act normal anymore, so she didn't, except for those weekly calls to her dad. She didn't want him to worry about her.

A year later, she had met Lanie, a former med student who was currently trying to finish her degree in forensic pathology. Lanie was a wild child and she had been surprised that _she _was going to be working with dead people. Or that she wanted to. Lanie had succeeded in getting her to go to some bars, but still, a part of her was broken. The part of her that still wouldn't be fixed even for many years after meeting Lanie. It was months later that Lanie had found out that she had a tattoo (they had gone to a bar and she had gotten a little too tipsy and when dancing her shirt had risen to reveal the heart on her hip). Lanie had been shocked at first, but then smirked and said, "I knew that you had a party girl deep down in you."

Six years after that, she had met Castle, though it had been many years later until he had first seen the tattoo. She swore tha she wouldn't ever forget his expression. It had been before they first hooked up and she had just been involved in chasing her suspect down a street. He had jumped a fence and when she followed him, the side of her shirt had gotten torn. A little piece of the heart had poked out. Castle was observant and, of course, had noticed. After being bugged about it for a few weeks, she had finally shown it to him. In the middle of the precinct. With others looking in their direction.

Maybe that was why he had been so shell-shocked. Or maybe it was because of her toned stomach (that's what Lanie had surmised anyway). He had seemed to like it though. Actually, he seemed quite amazed that she had it in the first place. Everyone did. But she didn't care. She liked it.

And though she's older now and married now with several kids of her own (the non-biological one included), she still does.


	9. Vivid

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Castle.  
**Character(s):** Richard Castle, mention of Kate Beckett, Alexis Castle, etc…  
**Pairing:** Castle/Beckett  
**Status: **Complete  
**Genre: **Angst  
**Rating:** K  
**Author's Note: **So…a little angsty Castle because well, I was in the mood. Anyway, I hope you like it.

* * *

**Vivid **

He dreams in color. He dreams in wonderful, beautiful, vivid shades of red, blue, green, and yellow. He dreams of _her_. And sometimes him. Mostly, him and _her_. Happy. Living life to the fullest. Succeeding in the pursuit of happiness. He dreams of what their children would look like; how they would interact with Alexis. How they would grow. Live. He dreams of them, in mid July, the hot sun looming overhead, _her_ in a wedding dress, making her way down the aisle. Alexis, in a bridesmaid gown, standing beside Lanie, who wears a proud, satisfied smirk as she watches her friend walk. Lanie's hand on her growing abdomen as her husband watches her. His mother and _her _father in crowd, smiling with tears in their eyes. He can feel _her _lips on his after the preacher says "You may kiss the bride."

But, he lives in dark, contrasting shades of gray. The doctors and nurses smile pitifully at him as he reads _her _the new Nikki Heat novel that he was working on. It isn't finished yet; he _can't _finish it yet. Not with _her_ like she is. He prays, night and day, for a full recovery. His mother, daughter, and friends watch from afar, not getting close because they're not sure what to say. And if they are sure what to say, they don't know whether or not it'll make him worse. The days go by in a daze. He barely is able to get up in the mornings, but the only reassurance is that he will see _her_ or what is left of the _her _she once was. The doctors tell him that he needs to live with the fact that _she _will never wake up. That he'll never see her smiling face again. They don't truly say _that_, but that's what he hears. He argues with them, telling them that they are wrong, and that he is not going to give up on _her. _And so they move _her _to a permanent care facility that he pays for where the people continue watching him.

Blankly, he sees himself on the cover of tons of magazines, but he doesn't read them. He already knows what they're going to say. They pity him. But he doesn't think they understand. They don't know that he can't give up because without _her, _he'll be nothing, and he thinks that _she's _going to be okay. But one day, he does. He gives up. He gives in. He had just been in a vicious argument with her father, and afterwards he goes to _her _room. Then, he realizes. He's not doing what _she _would have wanted. _She_, the Kate Beckett that he was in love with, wouldn't want to be stuck inside a hospital bed, practically dead. And even more, _she _wouldn't want him to be miserable because of what had happened to _her. She _would want him to be happy. That's practically what everyone had been telling him, but he didn't understand it. Until that day.

Still, he doesn't realize how he's going to live without _her_ or the shell of what _she _has become. But still, he finds himself there, holding her hand, as they unplug the cords. He winces as he waits for the slowing of _her _heart beat, but it doesn't come. The nurses stare with wide eyed amazement, murmuring that this only is a once in a million chance, but all he truly sees are _her _eyelids fluttering open and _her _heart beat staying the same. And _her _mumbling the word that he'd never thought he'd hear from _her _again.

"Castle."

_Her _voice is weak, hoarse, but he doesn't mind. Tears of joy are running down his face. Finally, his world lights up, and once again he begins to live in color.

* * *

(I'm a sucker for happy endings. :D)


	10. A Woman Like That

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Castle.  
**Character(s):** He & him, _he _& _him, _and her & she  
**Pairing:** He/Her, _He_/Her  
**Status: **Complete  
**Genre: **Angst  
**Rating:** K  
**Author's Note: **(Lots of run-ons, sorry!) _W_ho's point of view is this?

* * *

**A Woman Like That **

He knew that it wasn't going to last. Not from the start, of course, because if he did he wouldn't have invested everything he had in it. And by everything, he meant his heart. There was never a time when he should have thought otherwise. He should have been smart enough to realize all the obvious signs that it wasn't going to work out. _He _was always hanging around, watching them. Watching _her. _Or for another example, he should have known that he really should have never _tried _to get something started with her after he had to ask "is there something going on between the two of you?" Because seriously, does that question ever lead to a good place or in a good direction? He should have known. After all, he's watched enough television shows in which whenever a person asks _that _question someone gets their heart broken and more times than not it's the person who asked that in the first place. But he didn't, and so he kind of got what he deserved. His heart broken; it shattered into tons of microscopic pieces that it wasn't going to be easy to reconstruct. And that wasn't going to be reconstructed anytime soon.

Still, there wasn't a way in which he _couldn't _have fallen for her. She was perfect. Amazing. Extraordinary. He'd only wish he had told her that. Maybe that was why she dumped him. Though he really doubted it. She never did give him an actual reason about it ending, however; just a roundabout answer. It wasn't that he didn't know why either. She dumped him for _him. _And yet, months later, he walks by a newspaper stand expecting to see _him _with her, but instead it's _him _with another woman. Briefly he wonders if she got her heart broken like he did. And he knows no doubt she probably did. In any other situation, with any other woman who dumped him for another man, who in turn broke her heart, he would say that she got what she deserved.

But he can't.

(He wishes he could.)

But he can't.

Because, deep down, he still loves her. Because with a woman like that, it isn't ever easy to get over. As he walks into that coffee shop beside the one with the newspaper stand (the place where he occasionally sees _him_), he wonders if _he _knows what he's missing. But he obviously doesn't. Because, if he does, he's an idiot and he needs to be locked up in a mental institution. Because he'll give anything to even have just one more day with her, and _he _could have forever with her. Why couldn't, just this once, the person who asked the question get the happy ending? But then, as he starts talking to this blonde who he occasionally sees at the precinct, he realizes that maybe she does belong with _him. _And maybe he'll get his happy ending one day as well. Maybe he'll be old and gray and he'll tell his grandchildren about the beautiful brunette detective who stole his heart away.

And, maybe she'll get her happy ending too. Because, in this moment, he's still hopelessly in love with her. Even if to be happy she has to be with another man, he wants her to. Because after all the hurt and pain in her life that she's experienced and managed to live through, _she_ deserves her happily ever after. As he talks to the blonde, Meagan, he considers that maybe, just maybe, there's another woman like _that _out there, and maybe he'll get a chance with her.


	11. Woah

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Castle.  
**Character(s):** Richard Castle, Kate Beckett  
**Pairing:** Castle/Beckett  
**Status: **Complete  
**Genre:** Angst  
**Rating:** K  
**Spoilers:** "Almost Famous"  
**Author's Note: **For some reason, I have noticed that I _never _write a story in Castle's point of view. I _never _read books in a man's point of view. Well, I knew the latter, but not the first one. So I'm going to change that. And I call people sexist, really. Oh, well, I guess that old saying, "It takes one to know one," is true. By the way, I thought Detective Beckett's outfit was horribly cute but totally inappropriate for wearing while being on the job in this episode. Thoughts?

* * *

**Woah…**

The moment he heard her call his name in such a tone, he knew he was in trouble. The 'oh' added on to it made him wince and freeze, muscles tense, waiting for her to reach him. Finally, the familiar tapping of her heels made it to him. He closed his eyes as she walked around him, preparing himself for all the possible things that could come out of her mouth. "Want to go on a field trip to a strip club?" She smirked.

His eyebrows knitted immediately. That definitely wasn't what he was expecting. "Well, Detective, I didn't know that you were into such things, but I would-" He froze. _Damn. _He had forgotten that they were working on a case involving a male stripper which meant that they were probably going to go to a male strip club. He frowned. "You know," he pointed back where the guys were sitting around, chatting. "I think that Ryan and Esposito asked me to help them with something. I'll-"

Before he could finish his sentence, she interrupted him, pulling on his jacket and leading him in the direction of the elevators. "No, no, no, no, Castle, if I remember correctly you wanted to follow _me _around. Base a book a _me. _Bug the living hell out of _me _while I work for 'inspiration.'" Her tone was playful and he was too busy trying to figure out a way to get out of it to take her words seriously.

All too soon, they were in her police-issued Crown Victoria, driving to the strip club. Her smirk told him that she was enjoying this and so, for once, he closed his eyes and shut up to stop himself from yelling 'help, kidnap' out her window in hopes that someone might actually rescue him. After all, he was a best-selling author. Someone would want to help him. Wouldn't they?

A few minutes later, just as he began to doze off, he felt the car slow to a stop. He opened one of his eyes, thinking that he would be seeing the bright lights of a club sign, but instead, they were in the dim light of a parking garage. "Where are we?" He asked somewhat fearful. Had she finally gotten tired of him and was going to get rid of him in the emptiness of an abandoned parking garage? He looked around for witnesses only to find that it was empty. Only one or two cars remained.

"My apartment, or temporary apartment, building," she informed him before continuing, "I need to change," as she opened the door and got out. Before shutting the door, she leaned back down to his eye level, "Are you coming or not?"

Without replying or asking why she was changing (he was too grateful that he _wasn't _about to get shot), he quickly jumped out of the car and out onto to concrete ground, following her carefully as she made her way into the building, through the corridors, and eventually to stop in front of an elevator. He was too busy observing his surroundings to notice her sudden stop and so he ran into her. She was more balanced than he was and stronger than he had realized so she only took one small side step before steadying herself and helping him regain his balance. "Sorry," he murmured to her, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Just watch where you're going from now on, Castle." She told him as she stepped into the elevator. They rode in silence until the elevator pinged, alerting them of their stop. He noted that it was the ninth floor that she was saying on. He followed her closely, but not as close as before as they walked down another corridor. Finally, they came to a stop in front of apartment 6B.

She withdrew her keys from her pocket and unlocked the door quickly. Before opening the door, she turned to him. "Don't touch anything, don't mess anything up, and don't snoop, just stay in the living room, okay?" He nodded as if he wasn't even though they both knew he was and reluctantly she turned and opened the door. As they stepped into the apartment, she sighed before speaking to him. "You can snoop, Castle, because I know you're going to do that anyway, but please don't mess anything up. This isn't my apartment. Remember that."

With that last order, she left him in the living room and went down the hall. Once he heard the familiar sound of a door being closed, he figured he was safe, at least for a few minutes, and began to do what he did best. Snoop. The apartment was definitely one that didn't belong to a woman although it was clean and straight. He figured that Kate had a little input in that once she had began her stay, but he didn't know for sure. She didn't have much time on the side, and he himself wasn't that messy so maybe this guy wasn't. Jealousy began to build in him because the apartment looked much more like a bachelor pad than one that would belong to her father.

Then finally, he realized whose it was. Biker boy's. With a frown, he went over to examine the photo. It was one of biker boy and Kate, not taken too long ago because her hair was the length it was now, not the length before summer. They looked happy, and Kate looked like she was in love. He ran a single finger around the frame of her face, wishing for a brief moment that it was him in that picture with her instead of biker boy. He took it all in in stride, reminding himself all the reasons that he shouldn't be jealous, but still he was.

He was done snooping by the time that she walked back down the hall (he didn't want to stumble across any other pictures like that that would hurt him. He wasn't ready to say 'break his heart' even though it felt like they did.). The moment he saw her, his jaw dropped and he did a double take. He couldn't believe that she had changed into _that. _To him, it looked more like a piece of lingerie than a dress. It made her even more beautiful (and dare he say 'smokin' hot') than usually, and he couldn't help but murmur, "Woah."

Despite herself, Kate smirked. "Guess I am a little bit more like Nikki Heat than you thought, huh, Castle?"

* * *

(Longest one yet.)


	12. On Paper

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Castle. (Joey Rimes is mine.)  
**Character(s):** Kate Beckett, Richard Castle, Joey Rimes, Lanie Parrish, and "the guys."  
**Pairing:** Castle/Beckett  
**Status: **Complete  
**Genre:** General  
**Rating:** K  
**Post Ep:** "Almost Famous"  
**Author's Note:** I'll update my other _Castle _stories as soon as I can get an ample amount of time to o so, but this is to hold you by while I do so. (: This one has been rolling around in my mind for some time now.

* * *

**On Paper**

Richard Castle stared at the magazine cover in utter disbelief. With wide eyes and building fear, he put that magazine back on the rack before turning to the next shelf. Another picture of him. And her. Together. On the front page. He looked over the rack where several of them adorned them. With his two index fingers on his temples, he kept thinking about his now impending doom. She was going to _murder _him. Someone had actually reported that to the newspapers. _Oh, God, _he thought. For a moment, Castle was actually grateful that Alexis had already known that he went to the strip club yesterday for a case. At least he didn't have to explain _that _to his daughter and, inevitably, his mother.

As if on cue, his phone began ringing. He was too afraid to even look at Caller I.D. He knew that he had two choices. One could be him answering the phone call and if it was Beckett listen to the threats and eventually see her and most likely get hurt in some way. Two, he could go home, lock the door, push his sofa against the door, then go curl up in bed waiting and being alert for the moment when she would find another way to get in. Then he got hurt in some way, possibly. Immediately choosing the second opinion (hey, it prolonged his doom), he quickly flagged down the next available taxi, after, that is, buying several of the magazines with the two of them on the cover. He did need_ something _to do while he waited.

Throughout the ride back to his apartment, Castle tapped his foot impatiently. Butterflies filled his stomach as he thought of her reaction. In any other case, he would have laughed and it was most likely hilarious, but he couldn't laugh. The guys probably got a kick out of it and Lanie was probably hysteric at the news. He rubbed his forehead, nervously.

"Is everything all right back there, man?" The cabbie asked, looking back in the review mirror. Castle looked up, confused for a moment, and looked around to make sure it was him whom he was speaking to. "You don't look too good."

The writer sighed. "Well, there's this girl." He began.

"Yep," the cabbie nodded, turning around to look at him at the stoplight. "It's always a girl, isn't it?"

"It seems like it, doesn't this? Well, let me introduce myself, I'm Richard Castle-"

"The writer?" the drive exclaimed excitedly. "My wife _loves _your books! She is not going to believe this. I'm Joey Rimes, man," he reached back there, shaking Castle's hand. "It's nice to meet you. Now, what're your troubles?"

"There's this girl. Well actually, she's not a girl; she's a woman. She's a full blown woman," with a faraway look, he remembered all the revealing outfits that he's seen her in and the slight glance of her in that tub. Yes, Katherine Beckett was a woman. "We've been partners for a few years now. I'm actually working on my third book about her now-"

"Nikki Heat?" Joey interrupted again.

"Well, her name's Kate really," they slowed to a stop at another red light. "She's extraordinary, but she's going to murder me."

"Why would she do that?" He asked, turned around once again.

Castle frowned and looked out the window as the car accelerated once again, "I assist her on cases, right? She's a cop. We went to a strip club to look for a suspect. There several women came on to me. Very, very desperate women. And I might have called her my girlfriend to get the women to go away. I might have used the word 'honey' and apparently one of them actually wasn't out of their mind drunk and had a reporter connection. Because today, it's on the front page of several magazines." He informed the man and showed him the magazines that he had just purchased minutes before by putting them in the line of vision of his review mirror.

Finally Joey pulled the car to a stop by the sidewalk in front of Castle's building. "Good luck, man," he told him. Castle nodded a grateful thank you before handing him a few bills and sliding out the door.

Soon, the renowned author was getting out of the elevator and walking in the direction of his apartment, but he hadn't prepared himself for the beautiful brunette waiting for him at the door. Her arms were crossed and she was glaring at him.

"Castle," she murmured quietly but threateningly. "We need to talk."

_Damn. _


End file.
